


You're Not Alone Today

by BlackStar3991



Series: Harringrove [6]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 18:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17188202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackStar3991/pseuds/BlackStar3991
Summary: "Well, shit. Billy bites his lip and considers his options – I mean, he could just go back to sleep. But even if he can’t bring himself to say it, he’s come to like this fucker. Really like him. So he puts a gentle hand back on Steve’s shoulder and shakes him more firmly."_______To take a break from Neil, Steve lets Billy stay over the night.When Billy is woken up by Steve having a nightmare, he decides to do something to help.(Can be read as a stand-alone)





	You're Not Alone Today

**Author's Note:**

> Guys who are following this series, I am so sorry it took me so long to update!  
> I've been writing some original short stories for my class, hopefully some will make it into a collection book *fingers crossed*
> 
> You may have noticed I've stopped tagging it as gen/pre-slash, lol  
> (But I'm going slowly to make us all squirm)

Another courtesy of Neil’s is Billy’s light sleep. That’s why, even before he can identify the sounds, he is already awake. Billy’s first instinct is to assess whether he should pretend to be asleep or make a run for it. But it takes him just a second to calm down as he remembers where he is. After their “truce”, Steve had said Billy could come to him whenever Neil was being a dick – and here he was. Sharing a bed. Right. 

This noise is very close, and doesn’t sound like an angry Neil. It sounds like... a scared Steve? Billy opens his eyes but can’t see much in the dark room. Right next to him, he can feel Steve’s tensed up body jerking slightly – as if he was trapped by something and couldn’t move. His eyes getting more used to the low light, Billy turns to his side and props himself on an elbow, finally able see the boy’s scrunched up face. 

“Steve? Hey, Steve?” He whispers. 

Hesitantly, not wanting to startle him, Billy pokes at Steve’s shoulder and calls his name again, but to no result. Well, shit. Billy bites his lip and considers his options – I mean, he could just go back to sleep. But even if he can’t bring himself to say it, he’s come to like this fucker. Really like him. So he puts a gentle hand back on Steve’s shoulder and shakes him more firmly. Nothing. In fact, Steve starts to mumble incoherent things about some dogs and vines, and his breathing gets more and more uneven. 

“What the fuck...” Billy mutters under his breath. “STEVE?” 

Calling his name again with a last vigorous shake, Steve wakes up with a scream and jumps to a sitting position. Kinda startled himself, Billy jumps back a bit and also sits, but giving Steve some space. After a few seconds of listening to the other’s breathing slow down, Billy asks: 

“Are you okay?” 

“Fuck.” He breathes out “Fuck..." 

Not sure if he even heard the question, Billy leans a bit towards Steve and rests a grounding hand on his back. When Steve doesn’t shake him off, Billy raises the hand to the boy’s neck and gives a soft squeeze. 

“Hey. You okay?” 

“Yeah.” He answers with a sigh “Um, sorry I woke you up.” 

“It’s fine, don’t sweat it.” He moves his thumb a few times on Steve’s skin before removing his hand and sitting back on the headboard. 

Steve is still sitting right where he woke up, more to the middle of the bed, with his back turned to Billy. Steve passes a hand through his hair, and seems to be collecting himself. They stay like this for a while in silence, Billy not sure what to do but willing to offer at least some company. After some time, Steve rearranges himself and lies back down, eyes still wide open. Billy follows suit, sliding down from the headboard to lay next to Steve. Both stare at the ceiling. In a low whisper that tries for a conversational tone, Billy asks: 

“So... Does this happen often?” 

Steve swallows and takes a moment to answer, but eventually whispers back: 

“Way too much.” 

“Is that why you were avoiding going to sleep last night?” 

“What?” Steve asks, turning his head to the side with a frown. 

“I threw pebbles at your window very fucking late at night and you answered in half a second. Tells me you were awake and doing nothing, Pretty Boy.” Billy turns his head to Steve as well, and has a small smirk on his face. 

“Whatever.” Both turn back to stare at the ceiling. With a sigh, Steve admits “Fine. Yes, I was avoiding sleep. It’s worse when I’m home alone. I mean, it’ll happen regardless... But when I wake up it’s kinda better to know there’s someone else around. Not that my parents even know what’s going on.” 

"Well. You’re not alone today.” Billy points out, looking at Steve with the corner of his eye. 

“No, I’m not.” Steve doesn’t turn his head, but Billy can see his lips quirking up in a smile “Thanks, by the way. For waking me up.” 

Billy nods and chews on his lip. He knows he’s not the best person to have a heart-to-heart with, but offers anyway: 

“You can tell me about it, if you want to.” 

Steve considers for a moment, but sighs again and says: 

“I don’t... I mean, I can’t really talk about it...” 

“Okay, it’s fi...” Billy starts, but Steve interrupt’s him. 

“No, I actually can’t talk about it. It’s just... Something happened a while back. It was... pretty fucked up. It’s over now. But I’m not over it yet. You know?" Steve’s voice is, at the same time, calm and filled with angst. 

“Yeah, I get it.” 

Billy doesn’t get it, really. Not what’s going on, at least. But he’s pretty well versed in having fucked up things going on that can't be told to anyone. Somehow, he can tell that whatever happened to Steve is not at all like what happens to him at home, but recognizes the trauma for what it is. Steve opens his mouth to say something else, but what comes out is a very long yawn. 

“You’ve been sleeping like shit lately, huh?” 

“What gives you that idea?” Steve chuckles. 

With a small laugh, Billy rolls his eyes and states: 

“Alright, let’s sleep. I’ll be here to wake you up.” 

“Thanks” Steve answers, grateful for the dark that hides the flush on his face. 

Billy continues laying down on his back (the bruises not bothering him much on the soft mattress), both hands resting on his chest. He decided to wait until Steve was asleep before actually sleeping himself, just in case. But Steve damn sure isn’t helping. The boy keeps trashing around, changing positions every few minutes. Billy can sympathize, but it’s also pretty annoying. 

At some point, Steve turns on his side, facing away from Billy. Before he could change his position again, Billy turns as well. He reaches an arm around Steve’s middle and pulls him closer, spooning him from behind. He fells Steve tensing for a second, but soon a hand covers his own, holding his arm close. Steve sighs and all but melts on Billy’s chest. Relieved for not being shoved away, Billy’s heart speeds up and he hopes the other is too sleepy to notice (for they are definitely close enough that he’d be able to feel it). 

Billy buries his face on the Steve’s neck, and feels the boy shuddering slightly. With a wicked smile, he plants a small lingering kiss right where his neck meets the shoulder, and feels more than hears Steve’s breath hitching. With a light chuckle, Billy holds Steve a bit tighter. 

“Sleep.” He whispers next to the boy’s ear. 

“Asshole.” Steve mutters sleepily, making Billy chuckle again.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you guys like it?
> 
> I'll trade kisses for comments, lol <3


End file.
